Dalbeattie Star boss Ritchie Maxwell has stood down after nearly three years in charge.
The Islecroft gaffer has opted to leave his role as he is taking up a new job with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Former Annan player Chris Jardine has taken charge with Peter Watson his assistant.
Maxwell said: “It’s bitter-sweet. I’m happy to be moving to my new career but it was a difficult decision to move away from football, especially this season of all seasons.
“It’s been a career I’ve looked at for a few years but it’s never been the right time. At the start of the year I got the opportunity and was in a position to apply and after that the process was pretty quick.
“Originally I thought I’d start in July and see the season out but the timeline changed for me and I started on Monday which is why the decision had to be made pretty sharply.”
Former Star skipper Maxwell took charge in 2019, replacing Darren Kerr.
Neither of his first two seasons in charge were completed due to the coronavirus pandemic but the 2021-22 saw them top the Lowland League in the early stages and progress in the Scottish Cup.
And there was also a famous win over a Rangers B side.
Maxwell said: “It was our biggest ever crowd in the Lowland League and, the first time the club had played one of the Old Firm at Islecroft in a competitive game, even though it was a B side.
“To come out of that with a 2-0 victory was great for everybody involved with the club. I think that will be the one that sticks with me.
“The first two seasons were difficult on and off the park for a number of different reasons. I’m really thankful the committee, the board and the players all stuck by me and showed faith and belief in what we were trying to achieve.
“Hopefully I’ve repaid a bit of that this season. We’ve had some good times, we’ve had some great results and hopefully that justifies the decision from the board to stick by me.
“We created a bit of history for the club when we went to Rothes and won in the Highlands for the first time to get to the third round of the Scottish Cup. It was just a shame it was so far away and we couldn’t have that big a following with us.”
Maxwell’s final game in charge was a narrow defeat to Berwick Rangers at the start of March – the weather putting paid to his plans to say a proper goodbye.
He added: “I was hoping to step down at a match and to tell the boys and get that final game under my belt. However, the Rangers game was postponed, then the East Kilbride game at Islecroft was off due to the really bad weather.
